City still seeking dredging funds; Snyder signs bill to release $21 million to public harbors, recreational marinas

Thursday

Mar 28, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Even though Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation Wednesday providing $21 million for harbor dredging projects, Cheboygan City Council discussed Tuesday night on how it may be able to get some assistance to dredge the Cheboygan River.

By Richard Croftonrichard@cheboygantribune.com

Even though Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation Wednesday providing $21 million for harbor dredging projects, Cheboygan City Council discussed Tuesday night on how it may be able to get some assistance to dredge the Cheboygan River.“It appears as though the money is going to recreational harbors,” City Manager Dale Stuart told council Tuesday. “Recreational harbors can’t go below 13.5 feet. That would not help us at all.”The 58 projects the state’s Waterways Commission has approved are for public harbors or recreational marinas.“The state needs to recognize the commercial aspect,” Stuart said. “It looks like there could be low interest loans to help with costs.”Cheboygan officials had approached the state several weeks ago trying to get some help, but did not receive any funding during this cycle.As part of the bill signing Wednesday, Snyder also signed other bills relating to dredging including the low-interest loan option for dredging private marinas located on the Great Lakes or connecting waterways; the lowering of permit fees to dredge at least 10,000 cubic yards of at least 90 percent sand; and allowing the Department of Environmental Quality to issue a dredging permit before the end of the 20-day public notice period if emergency conditions warrant. The permit still will go through the public notice process and the final permit could include additional conditions as a result.Previously, Mayor Richard Sangster said it appeared as though the only real viable option would be for the city to get funds from the federal government. That still may hold true.Language authored by U.S. Senator Carl Levin, D-Michigan, to improve funding for maintenance of the nation’s harbors was included in a water resources bill approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday.The legislation is designed to ensure that all fees collected for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund from the nation’s shippers to be appropriated for their intended purpose: harbor maintenance. Levin said harbors in the Great Lakes and across the country have suffered from a maintenance backlog for too long while only a portion of the available money in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund has been spent.The Harbor Maintenance Act is intended to help address the estimated $200 million backlog in necessary harbor dredging projects on the Great Lakes. It’s uncertain how much of the fund increase might be spent in Michigan.“We will continue to vigilantly go after these funds,” Stuart said. “However, the city can’t do this alone. We hope the county will look at this with us.”The city and other groups are looking to dredge the river from the State Street Bridge out to Lake Huron. This would allow commercial shipping to enter the river without fear of getting grounded if it is fully load.This would be a necessity if the Port of Cheboygan becomes operational.